MELROSE - An NYPD officer faces up to four years behind bars after lying about the arrest of a New York Times photographer.

Prosecutors say that back in 2012 Robert Stolarik was in Melrose taking pictures of Officer Michael Ackermann handcuffing a teenager.

Ackermann took the photographer into custody for interfering with the arrest, claiming he repeatedly "got in his face" by using a flash. However, Stolarik was using a camera without a flash and an investigation found he never owned a flash. That charge was later dismissed.